Rising Moon
by MTrenchRox
Summary: Sequel to A Whole New Beginning and Setting Sun. With only twenty days before the end of the world, the demi-gods are desperatly trying to stop the Primordials from coming. With the newest Titan on their side, victory is so close. But of course, there are always those on the inside who will do anything to live. Even if it means betraying family.
1. Chapter 1

Rising Moon

Prologue

For those of you who don't remember, the primordials are Aether, God of upper air and light. Ananke, Goddess of inevitability, compulsion, and necessity. Erebos, God of darkness and shadows. Gaea, Mother Earth. Hemera, Goddess of daylight. Chronos, the real God of time. The Nesoi, Goddesses of the islands. Nyx, Goddess of night. Uranus, Father Sky. The Ourea, Gods of mountains. Phanes, God of procreation. Pontus, God of the seas. Tartarus, named after the pit he rules. Thalassa, spirit of the sea. Chaos, God of nothingness, their leader. You may wonder why these names, or more importantly, these immortal beings, are important to this story. This is a story about Greek Gods, isn't it? And about the children they seared. But before the Gods, there were Titans. And these were before even them. They are the Great-great-grandparents to some demi-gods, great-great-great-grandparents to others. So in a way, they are connected. And they are very important with how this story will continue.

But like the Gods and the Titans, there is not a nice family relationship between the primordials and the Gods. Or with anyone, really. For those who remember Aether, you know how they act, and just how deceptive they are. They had kept to themselves for so very long, that most had forgotten about them, just as most mortals have forgotten their religion. So of course, news of them coming back was a big surprise. For everyone. This story, the third and final, starts with a ceremony. Not a funeral, as that happened the day before last. This is a ceremony of different sorts. One that involved a great deal of power.

Andra flinched as she walked in the grand double doors that lead into the throne room of Olympus. They were the same ones she had walled though almost five hundred years before, and they hadn't changed a bit. Neither had the Gods. Her demi-god friends watched as she walked past them. She hated the way they looked at her; like they were scared of her and the power she possessed, and how much more she would attain. Maybe it was the way she was dressed: a long, flowing white dress, in a formal Greek style. Andra had to admit, she looked pretty in it, but it wasn't at all her type. It was like Clarisse in the skirt she had worn to Cass's funeral-a once in a lifetime thing.

She took a deep breath and her heels clacked upon the tile flooring of the throne room. Andra cursed the mortal who had come up the contraptions as she wiggled in them, desperately trying to maintain her balance, not wanting to fall in front of the Gods, even if they were now on a first name basis. Finally, she stopped in the middle of the room. Sweeping some of her long, brown hair aside, she knelt to the Gods respectfully. They spoke their little incantations, and said their magic words while her heart pounded. None of it reached Andra's ears. When she rose, she stood before her friends and the Gods. And then, they bowed to her.

Zeus' voice rang out for all of Olympus to hear, "Hail Andromeda Marquette. Titan of Time."

Applause rang in her ears. She turned and grinned to her friends, who smiled back. They looked a little nervous, but a wink from her, and they came running. Conner reached her first, and she hugged him tightly, then Annabeth and Thalia and Nico and Percy, and all those she had become acquainted with in her short time at camp.

There was no official party after, but it was all the same to the new Titan. Instead, she sat on the edge of Olympus, her feet dangling off, pointing towards New York, which lay below. Her friends sat with her, on either side, hundred of feet above the city that never slept. They talked and laughed just as easily as if she were still just immortal. They didn't seem to care that she had power. Andra knew that it wasn't always like that, and she smiled to herself when she knew how lucky she was to have proven herself to the demi-god and to the Gods. Because it was them who mattered. Them who would always stand by her in all her immortal glory. And she would need their help.


	2. Chapter 2

Rising Moon

Chapter 1

A young girl about twelve ran in the woods. She wore jeans and a white shirt, she could have been anyone. The snow-covered forest in which she ran was vast and cold. The girl had auburn hair and eyes the color of opals.

An owl cooed, and the girl looked up at it in annoyance. Raising a finger to her lips, the girl whispered, "_Shh_!" The owl nodded, before spreading its wings and soaring off. Smiling, the girl continued on her way.

Snow, which had been falling lightly, began to pick up pace. The girl did not shiver in her thin clothing, only brushed it off her pony-tailed hair and shaded her eyes to see where she was. She looked confused, although she did not appear to be lost. Looking back, she could faintly see a flickering light, the fire from her camp. She wasn't far from it, but being out alone while everyone else slept made her feel unprotected. Of course, she could take care of herself.

A crack to her left echoed in the woods. Her head snapped towards the sound. Slowly, she knelt into the snow, keeping her head up, searching for the source of the noise. Nothing appeared. No shadows danced in the dark. The sound, it appeared, had come from no where. The girl frowned, but did not rise. In the stealth of the darkness, her reached to her boot silently. From inside it, she produced a long and lethal hunting knife. She moved it closer to her head in the snow, hoping its light wouldn't attract unwanted attention.

Her hand stung from the cold, but she kept it and the knife buried in the white snow. Her front was soaked now, having been exposed to the snow for so long, and the wet clothing was freezing against her fair skin. The silver-eyed girl breathed slowly, listening with her pink-tipped ears for the familiar sounds of danger. None came.

After a full minute of laying on the wet and white ground, the girl rose from her position, the knife dangling beside her. She looked around, tense. A figure caught her eye, moving fast in the trees. The girl held her knife out in front of her protectively. It looked as if it would be too big and heavy for her to hold, but she handled it with ease.

The figure moved in and out of her line of vision, and, annoyed, the girl exhaled impatiently. If the figure was going to attack, it would have done so by now. The figure stopped moving. The girl looked right at it. Bright purple eyes stared back. A flash of blond appeared when the figure pounced, jumping on the girl and pushing her down into the snow.

Back at the camp the young girl had left, and brunette sat, warming her hands by the slowly dying fire. Her mistress had gone out to get fire wood, and if she didn't return within the hour, the sparks would slowly fade.

Behind her, one of the tent flaps opened and a ten-year-old girl walked out. She had dark red hair and freckles splattered across her nose, like someone had thrown wet sand at her damp face. Her brown eyes were wide. The girl sitting at the girl turned around. "Josie? What are you doing outside? It's late."

Josie looked into her friend's blue eyes. "I can't sleep, Mattie."

Mattie shifted her butt on the ground so she was more comfortable and patted the dirt beside her. Josie scuttled over and sat. "What's up? Nightmare?"

Josie nodded. "You wanna tell me about it?" asked Mattie.

"She was attacked," said Josie, her brown eyes shifted from the fire to Mattie to the woods and back again. Her voice wavered when she spoke. "And she's hurt."

Mattie's eyes widened. Josie was a demi-god, and demi-god dreams often showed the future. "Who is? Who's hurt, Jo?"

A scream echoed through the woods. All twenty girls in the camp peered out of the tents and poked their heads around. Mutters and whispered filled the small camp. The hunting wolves howled. The ravens cawed and circled the camp. One of the girls whistled and her bird flew down to her arm. She stroked its feathers nervously.

Josie shook. "Lady Artemis."

Andra took a deep breath. She wasn't ready for this. Nothing she had ever done in her very long life had ever prepared her for what was about to happen. She was about to yell at her friends to stop, when Thalia released the arrow.

The Titan watched as it approached her. She knew it couldn't hurt, really. She had been immortal, and now she was a Titan, so really, she had nothing to worry about. But the arrow came closer and closer and Andra closed her eyes and inhaled sharply.

"Yes!" Thalia pumped voice reached her ears.

Andra slowly opened one eye, and then the other. The arrow had stopped mere millimeters from her face. She backed up and went around it. Her friends, a few feet away, were applauding. Even Nico, although he did it half-heartedly.

"Nice," hissed Conner. He ran over to the arrow, like he had to the men in Alaska, and did the limbo under it, then circled it twice. "Cool."

Andra smiled. "Thanks."

Thalia plopped down the ground, and Nico, Conner and Andra followed suite. They were on the fireworks beach at Camp Half-blood, where they had plenty of practice space. Many of the Gods had offered to train Andra in being at higher immortal being, but she preferred being with her friends. The daughter of Kronos laid back onto the sand and wiggled a bit so there was a sand pillow underneath her head.

"What's it like being a Titan?" asked Conner. She'd had her powers for a day now, and she really didn't feel that different. She had been immortal before and she was immortal then. The only thing that had changed was the strength of her powers. That, and the fact that she was more powerful then the Gods.

Andra shrugged, and a few bits of sand sank underneath her shirt. "Like being a God," she replied cheekily, wiggling around to get the sand out.

"And that?"

"Like being you but more powerful," she said, sitting up and brushing some sand from her hair.

Conner nodded. "Cool."

Andra laughed and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Doesn't take much to please you, does it?"

Conner looked at the slender hand on his shoulder and smiled. "Not at all," he replied.

The conch horn blew three times. Dinner. The four stood and brushed sand of their butts before racing each other to the dining pavilion, Andra winning by a few seconds. They went and sat next to Percy and Annabeth, who were seated at Poseidon's table. Because so many people would sit with those at other tables, and also because there were so few demi-god now at Camp, Chiron had abolished the cabin arranged seating. Andra and Nico joined Percy on the left, while Conner and Thalia sat next to Annabeth.

They grabbed food, offered some to the Gods(even Andra did it), and then sat back down again. Annabeth had barely been able to take a bite of her turkey burger when her half-brother, Malcolm, ran up the the table that had formerly been named Poseidon's.

"Annabeth? Chiron needs to talk to you. We think we have a lead on the Primordial," he said in a rush, his gray eyes wide. "It's huge, Annabeth, you gotta come now."

Taking a quick bite and chewing rapidly, Annabeth nodded excitedly. Swallowing, she kissed Percy, and then followed her brother. Thalia fake-gagged into her salad. Andra giggled.

Percy rolled his eyes at his cousins reaction. "Oh, come one. Grow up, Thals. Everyone kisses. Even Nico has..." Percy trailed off, realizing his fatal mistake a second too late.

Nico threw his napkin onto his uneaten food. "I'm not very hungry," he mumbled, before standing, dumping the rest of his food into the fire for the Gods, and walking back to his cabin.

Thalia leaned across the table and hit him on the shoulder. "Think a little, Perce."

Percy rubbed his shoulder and sighed at Thalia. "I'm sorry. It just slipped out. And you're not perfect either, remember that."

"Yeah," Andra piped up. "Remember yesterday, when he was helping you polish your arrows, and you mentioned how Cass's had nice tips?"

"Why do you have to remember everything? And they did!" said Thalia defensively. "And anyway, I think he's dragging this on too long."

"She's only been...gone for three days now," said Conner. "That's not a very long time, even if he only knew her, like, three months."

Thalia sighed. "I guess, yeah."

They finished dinner quickly. Sing-a-long had been canceled for the past days, because now there were only three Apollo campers, and none of them were feeling happy or in a very sing-a-long mood. They walked back down to the beach, and sat on the edge of the pier.

A cool December wind came off the ocean and sea salt tangled in their hair as they sat and wrapped their arms around their bodys to warm themselves. "Who wants a swim?" asked Percy, watching Apollo drive the sun down the mountains, casting shadows on camp.

"Are you kidding, Kelp Brain? It's freezing!" Thalia looked at the water like it would jump out and grab her. The daughter of Zeus scooted back a few inches to a safe place.

"Come on," Percy sang in an off-key voice. "I'll make the water warm. Anythings warmer then the air right now anyway."

"Well, it is December," said Conner, like he had discovered a huge loop-hole in Percy's statement.

Andra rolled her eyes. "Well, thank you Mr. Obvious."

Conner pulled off his shirt. "I'm in."

Andra slipped off her jeans to reveal a pair of red running shorts. She unzipped her hoodie and stood in her white tank top. "Me too."

Percy pulled off his shirt as well. "Thals?"

The daughter of Zeus sighed, before she began to undress. "Fine, but if your dad decides to send a shark or something at me 'cause I went swimming with you-"

Percy rolled his eyes. "If on the extremely rare off-chance that something does happen, I'll take care of it." Then, he cupped his hands, and yelled out into the ocean, "Dad! Thalia's going swimming! Don't kill her!" Turning to Thalia, he asked, "How's that?"

Andra giggled into her palm. She stood shivering on the edge of the pier, her toes pointed towards the ocean. She wiggled them around and flexed them a few times. Thalia just rolled her eyes at her cousin and continued pulling her hoodie off.

A minute later, Thalia stood on the edge of the pier with her friends, in a silver tank top and matching pair of boxer-like underwear. "Jump on three," commanded Percy with a grin.

Andra shook her head. "Nah. Counts to three are when you get needles or, say, remove a son of Poseidon from a Titan. How 'bout... NOW!" she shouted, grabbing Conner's and and Thalia's hand on one side, and Percy's on the other and pulled them in.

The water hit them like a thousand knives. Percy emerged first, then Conner and Thalia. Andra came up sputtering. "Perseus Jackson, I swear, if you don't make this water warmer, I'm gonna go all Titan on your ass!"

Percy smiled, then lifted his hands out of the water with his eyes closed. The water warmed immediately, like someone had turned up the heat. "Better?" asked the son of Poseidon, opening his eyes. His raven hair was dry, in fact, his whole body was.

Thalia grinned. "Yes." She looked down nervously. "Does anyone see any sharks, or anything?" The daughter of Zeus ducked her head under the water and then came back up. Her spiky black hair covered most of her face. "I swear there's something down there," she said, angrily wiping sopping bits of hair out of her eyes.

Percy swam over to her and tread water while his cousin thrashed to stay upright. "Thals... there's nothing there, I promise. Look," he said, diving under. The water was clear enough for them to see him darting around on the ocean floor in the perimeter around them. After a few minutes, he popped up, dry and smiling. "Nothing."

Thalia eyed him, her eyeliner dripping around her eyes making her look a bit like a raccoon. She wiped some of it off with her fingers, leaving only make-up war stripes under her eyes. "Thanks."

Footsteps echoed above their heads as someone walked on the pier. A few blond curls dipped in the water as Annabeth's tanned, heart-shaped face came into view. Her small, gray eyes scanned those in the water and a smile spread on her lips. "Working hard, I see," she smirked.

Percy raised his hand out of the water and smiled, and a wave appeared, crashing over the dock, soaking Annabeth. "And you? Are you working hard?"

Annabeth shivered in her wet clothes. She lowered herself into the warm water slowly, then tread water over to her boyfriend and friends. "I was in the Big House with Malcolm, idiot. I think we have a lead. There's some pretty solid proof, and I think we've got something. It'll be a few days before we get some real results, but I have a feeling about this."

Percy smiled. "Good." He planted his lips on her nose. Annabeth's nose turned a bright shade of pink under her boyfriends touch.

Thalia rolled her eyes, then went back to wiping her make-up off. "Get a room. I beg you."

Annabeth moved her hand in the water, sending droplets over to her best-friend. Thalia smirked. "Is that all you can do? Bring it, Gray-Eyes!"

"Nice trash talk, Thals," shouted Percy. He was standing a few feet above the water on a diving board made from waves. He cannon-balled in. The water splashed tremendously.

"Wow," said Conner and Andra at the same time. The swan-raced each other to the water diving board. Andra won and she climbed and jumped, with Conner a few seconds behind her. They emerged with smiled. "Cooool."

Annabeth reached under water and grabbed her shoes. With the plastic flip-flops in her hand, she chucked them to the beach. The landed a few feet short, and Percy manipulated the waves to make them float to the sand. They sky was almost black now, the sun was completely gone.

More foot-steps. It was Chiron. While Annabeth blushed, Percy spread his arms wide at the centaur. "Hey, Chiron. Come to join the party?"

Through his beard, the centaur smiled. "I'm alread not. We need Annabeth back at the Big House. Actually, this might concern all of you. You five better dress then come with me."

Nico was already there at the Big House. He sat, waiting outside for them. He wouldn't meet their eyes, but he did look suspiciously at their soaking wet clothing and hair. "The Hunters are hear," he mumbled.

Thalia's eyes widened. She raced up the stairs, the rest of them following quickly. The daughter of Zeus speed into the rec room. Twenty or so other girls were already in there. They wore jeans and silver track jackets. Hunting wolves ambled around the room, and a few hunting birds had settled down into the rafters of the high ceilings. A young girl, about ten, ran into Thalia's arms, not caring about the sea water that dripped off her.

"I saw her!" she cried softly into Thalia's wet hair. "I saw, and I couldn't do anything. And we found her, and Mattie called Apollo..."

Thalia set the girl down. "Josie, honey, you have to calm down." She turned to her cousin. "Percy, can you dry me off?"

The son of Poseidon quickly went around and dried off those who had been in the water. "Thanks," she said. She looked another girl in the eye. "What happened, Mattie?" she asked, but Mattie wouldn't look her in the eye.

Another girl stood. She had long blond hair, that almost looked silvery. Conner blushed when he saw her, remembering a prank he and Travis had pulled on her. The girl seemed to remember it as well, as she glared at him before speaking. "Lady Artemis," she said, her voice cracking.

Thalia narrowed her eyes at Phoebe. "What happened?"

"She was attacked," continued Phoebe. "And Josie had a dream about it. We heard her screaming, and Mattie found her."

Mattie blinked back tears. Thalia looked upon her sadly; Mattie had been a part of the hunters for almost two hundred years. Her real name was Mary-Theresa, but no one ever called her that. "She wasn't even looking like herself. She was covered in gold. Ichor," she managed to choke out.

Another girl stood. "We Iris Messaged Lord Apollo," she said. "He brought her to Olympus."

Thalia nodded. Her eyes were closed. "Thanks, Sue," she said slowly. Annabeth knelt next to her.

"Are you okay, Thals?" she asked. Thalia nodded unresponsively.

Annabeth put her arm around her friend and turned a bit to face Chiron. "You said this concerned all of us? I'm sorry, but I don't see how."

Chiron sighed. "Artemis has only been attacked like this once in history."

Annabeth gasped, and Andra put her hands to her mouth in shock. "No," said Andra. "I thought we ruled this out. Chiron, you said it wouldn't happen again."

Nico looked at her. "What?"

Andra looked straight at the son of Hades. There was no emotion in her voice when she spoke. "The primordials. Starting with Nyx. She wants the night back."


	3. Chapter 3

Rising Moon

Chapter 2

Thalia's eyes were still closed, but she was muttering under her breath, "Artemis, Nyx, primordials, taking over." Then her eyes shot open. Without the black liner surrounding them, they looked bigger, and made her seem more innocent. "The night of the Rising Moon, remember? From the prophecy? Nyx is coming back. She's the beginning of the Rising Moon. She is a moon Goddess."

Chiron rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "That's true."

Thalia beamed at her guess, but her smile faded quickly. Andra's eyes widened, horrified. "Chiron?" she stuttered. "If Nyx wants the sky back, then does that mean that all the primordials want their territories back? Because me, I'm Time now and Chronos..." Andra trailed off. Annabeth looked to her, her head tilted to the side.

The daughter of Athena's mouth moved, like she was trying to come up with something good to tell the daughter of Kronos, but nothing happened. Andra swallowed nervously. Conner stole a quick glance at her and bit his lip nervously. His brown hair fell into his bright eyes, and he didn't bother to push it away.

Josie hurried over to Chiron, and stood a few feet away from him. "Can we go visit Lady Artemis in Olympus?" she asked hopefully. Her eyes were puffy and red, and her hair was mussed, with a few small pieces of grass and twigs in it.

Chiron looked up at the demi-gods and the Titan watching him. Annabeth nodded, and Chiron gave her a soft smile, letting her know he agreed. "A trip to Olympus is exactly what we need."

_A young girl knelt next to the Gods. Andra was there as well, sitting cross-legged on the stone floor in a room unknown. No one seemed to know that Percy was there. The young girl was someone Percy had only seen a few times, and the most recent viewing was when she was dead. Cass in this dream was so very alive._

_She was talking, her olive eyes wide and happy, her father's arm around her protectively. Poseidon watched them with envy."Getting Percy," said Cass in the dream."I've never met him, but Annabeth said he's an amazing fighter. If we can manage to get him out of Kronos, then we should have no problem, right?"_

_Percy realized with a start that he was watching something that had happened only a few days before. And that Cass had actually said those words. He felt a great deal of love towards Cass, though he had never met her. And then he felt a little sad, that it was him who had cause her to force herself to go out even while she was ill to save him._

_The scene played on, but the mouths moved without noise. A different voice played out in Percy's ears: "We have brought him back using her love for him, and it is strong though she had never laid eyes on him. Cassandra was to be the hero of the war. And now Perseus will do the deed for her,"_

Percy awoke with a start and sighed. Demi-god dreams never changed.

That morning, Conner, Travis, Katie, Clarisse, Annabeth, Malcolm, Percy, Nico, Thalia, Andra and the Hunters were greeted by Hermes at Half-blood Hill.

"Daddy!" Josie shrieked, running into her fathers arms. Hermes bent and picked her up, setting her on his hip. The ten-year-old Huntress had only even seen her father a few times in her fifty years, and whenever she did, she took full advantage of it. Conner and Travis only raised their hands in greeting.

Hermes smiled at his daughter, and winked at Percy, and his twin sons. He tapped at his iPad. "Transportation for thirty plus centaur to Olympus," he said. "Ready to go?" he asked the crowd of people. There was general nodding, and the God pressed something on his iPad. "Hold onto your hats."

A whirl of wind came blasting through the boundary, and then it was all black. It was twenty seconds of swirling blackness until their feet touched cobblestone ground. The smell of roses and other flowers usually not available in December filled their noses before they were able to see anything. The blackness cleared, and the thirty-one beings were able to see the long cobblestone road to the Throne Room of Olympus.

Annabeth shivered when she saw it, remembering that Percy had been taken away form her in that very room. Percy noticed the look on her face, and tightened his grip on her hand. She squeezed back.

Hermes looked to his iPad once again. To the group, he waved his hand. "They're waiting for you in there. Have fun. I'll join you in a bit." Then the group covered their eyes and when they opened them, they saw that the Messenger God had disappeared.

Andra nervously took charge, and led the group of friends and Hunters along the path. She felt oddly powerful to have the tree nymphs bowing to her, and in the back of her mind, she remembered Sam, John and Mark, and she made a mental note to look into that, and see if they were okay. When they arrived at the large double doors, Andra took a deep breath and pushed them open.

The scene in front of them played out like a movie, as if the demi-gods, centaur and Titan were only viewers, for it seemed the Gods had no idea they were there or that they were coming. Athena stood with Zeus off to the side of he room, examining a map that hung near the tank of Bessie, a large sea creature Percy had rescued. Poseidon was there too, muttering something to his brother about something being too dangerous, but the God of the skies only waved off his idea with his hand and went back to planning with his daughter. Demeter and Hades were there arguing, Persephone sitting between them, a look of utter boredom on her face as she watched her mother and her husband fight over her. Aphrodite was sitting next to Ares, talking animatedly to him, her stained lips moved at a rapid pace, Hephaestus watching her lovingly while her pretended to listen to Dionysus speak.

Across the room was Hera. She sat in her throne, watching over her brothers and sisters and children like the Queen she was. Hestia tended to the hearth beside her, and every once in a while, the Queen of the Heavens would lean down to her sister and whisper something into her ear. But all eyes of the group were on the middle of the grand throne room.

Because it was there that Lady Artemis lay, on a low bed with soft white sheets and blankets. Her brother, Apollo, was kneeling beside her, his hand on her chest. The ichor had been cleaned off of her, but all of the cuts and bruises were impossible to ignore. The Goddess's skin was scarred badly. She was in her twelve-year-old form, the one she preferred, but even as they watched, she shifted from twelve, to eighteen, to twenty-one, and back again.

"My Lady," whispered Josie, rushing to her. She knelt opposite Apollo and placed her small hand on top of the Goddess'. Once the Hunters saw that the God did not send her away, they went over as well. They watched the Goddess with small eyes. Thalia hung back.

Annabeth out her hand on Thalia's shoulder. "Go ahead," she whispered, and then the daughter of Zeus ran over to her immortal sisters.

It was then that the other Gods noticed them standing there, with the big doors still wide open. Chiron shut them slowly. Travis, Katie, Malcolm and Clarisse all bowed. The other demi-gods didn't, having gotten friendly with the Gods in Alaska. Those who bowed rose sheepishly. Conner punched his brother in the arm.

"Is she okay?" asked Thalia to Apollo. The God lifted his head. His eyes were bloodshot and his hair was matted and tangled. He wore jeans and a gray shirt, and he looked tired and sad. Thalia felt a pang of sympathy for the God: first his daughter, then this.

"I don't know, Thalia," said Apollo tensely. "I've never seen anything like it. It's like she's in a coma, or something, like..." Apollo stop talking. Thalia knew he was about to say Cass.

Thalia backed up to Annabeth and stood beside her. Together, they watched Percy, who was a few feet away from them. Her was looking everywhere but where the Goddess of the Hunt lay. "What is Hades' name is he doing?" hissed Thalia, her blue eyes scrunched together.

"Avoiding Apollo's eye," sighed Annabeth. "He thinks it's his fault Cass's died and he doesn't want to face Apollo."

Thalia tilted her black head to the side, and her pale face was the dictionary picture of confused. "How does he work that one out? Does he think he gave her the cancer? Hades, he didn't even know her when it was found."

Annabeth shrugged. "Dunno. But he's been kinda sulky all week. That midnight dip in the ocean last night was the happiest I've seen him since he's been back."

Thalia nodded. "You wanna talk about sulky?" she asked. "Look over there," she added, tilting her head towards Nico. He stood away from the group, a emotionless expression on his face. "He hasn't smiled since she left. And he used to all the time. He's turning back to the sulky little kid whose sister died. And I so through we were past that."

Annabeth hit her friends arm. "Just let him grieve. He needs to. Besides, it's Nico, the one who holds a grudge. It'll be a while before he bounces back, but he will. We just need to keep from mentioning her for a while."

"You think he'll forget about her? For a daughter of Athena-"

"I didn't say that. I just think we should not talk about her that much. Let him get over it. When he talks about her, then we can."

Thalia rolled her eyes, but didn't argue. "Fine. Will you get your boyfriend to stop doing that? It looks like his eyes are having a seizure."

Annabeth hurried over to Percy and grabbed his arm forcefully. "Stop it," she hissed into his ear. "Thalia's starting to freak out and Apollo's not even looking at you. In case you haven't noticed, he's a little busy." The daughter of Athena dragged her boyfriend over to Thalia.

The daughter of Zeus' nose was wrinkled. "You're going absolutely crazy," she commented.

"She's in me, Thals," insisted Percy, and Thalia rolled her eyes for the second time in less then a minute. "Cass is."

"I know that."

"I just feel awkward around Lord Apollo. I mean, if I hadn't let Kronos, you know... then, well... maybe if I hadn't been there, she wouldn't of been forced to go to Hectate and then get the messed up antidote... her brothers would have been able to fix her, she wouldn't be dead, she wouldn't be inside me and Nico would be normal again."

The three demi-god peeked over at Nico. He was sitting down next to Apollo, not looking him in the eye. "My Gods, that's a happy group right there," said Thalia. "What a party."

Nico must of heard them, because he raised his head and looked at them. Annabeth shifted uncomfortably under his gaze before turning away. "Death in his eyes," she muttered to Percy, who had also turned away.

"Come on," said Thalia, leading them away, over to Bessie, where Conner and Travis were sitting. While Percy talked to Bessie softly, Annabeth sat down to the stone floor beside the twins, Thalia doing the same. "What's going on?" asked Annabeth softly.

"Well, I'm trying to get Travis here to go ask out Katie," said Conner proudly. He was watched Katie from across the room. She was practice sparring with Clarisse, with Malcolm watching with interest. Andra was shouting words of encouragement to both of them,

"And I said I would, but only if he did the same to-"

Conner slapped his hand over his twins mouth. "Don't say it, or I swear..."

Thalia looked at them, her head tilted to the side. "Andra? You can see it from a mile away."

Percy spoke, his back to them. "Totally, dude. Just go for it, before Aphrodite announces it to the room."

The Goddess in mention hadn't been siting that far away, and she leaned closer to the demi-gods. "I'm not that tactless. I'll let him do it himself for a change. Nice to see how that works out," she added, before leaning back and continuing to talk with Ares.

Conner blushed deep red. "She wouldn't like me anyway."

Thalia rolled her bright eyes. "Come on. The Goddess of fricken' love just commented on it. It's kinda meant to be, bro," she said.

Travis smiled largely while his brother turned a shade darker. "Hey, look who's coming to visit!"

Andra was crossing the threshold. Her long brown hair was tied back into a simple braid, and she wore jeans and a camp T-shirt with the words **senior counselor** on it. Her eyes, that had lost the gold when her father faded, were now almost completely that color, but on her it seemed warm and gentle. "Hey," she greeted them, sitting on the floor with them. The Titan began to french braid Annabeth's hair causally. "I was just talking with Apollo."

Percy joined them on the floor. "What's up? With Artemis and everything?"

Andra sighed. "It's not good. She's not responding. They've stuffed enough ambrosia in her to last the Gods two years, and nothing. Her wounds aren't fading either. The Hunters are having a fit. They're actually being nice to Apollo, getting him everything he needs to heal Artemis. Does anyone have a hair elastic?" she asked, holding the end of Annabeth's elaborately braided hair.

Annabeth slipped a pink and brown striped one off her wrist and passed it back. Andra tied the hair quickly and then leaned back against a tall white column. Annabeth felt the back of her head slowly. "So they don't know hat caused it?"

Thalia picked at her cuticle. "I thought we were going with my idea. Nyx."

"That's what the Gods are saying," offered Nico. He had joined the group. Everyone stopped talking and looked at him. The tanned boy rolled his eyes. "You don't have to stop talking because I'm here. Cass didn't die after she kissed all of you." Then he looked at Conner. "Well, except for you."

Annabeth smiled. _He's mentioning her,_ she mouthed to Thalia.

_So we can now?_ She asked, and Annabeth nodded. Thalia nodded as well.

"Glad you're feeling better, mopy," said Thalia conversationally.

"Isn't that one of the seven dwarfs?" asked Nico, raising his dark eyebrows at her.

Thalia squinted at him, then turned to Annabeth. "Told you he'd be back to normal."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Oh, whatever."

Poseidon, who had been only a few feet away, turned around. The Gods stunning green eyes sparkled with a smile and his tousled black hair was identical to Percy's. "Miss Chase?"

Annabeth sat up a bit straighter. It wasn't everyday a God addressed you by name, even if you had jut rescued them from their father. "Yes, Poseidon?"

Poseidon smiled at her. "Would you here a moment? Your mother would like you to see the maps."

Annabeth nodded and rose. Patting Percy on the head, she hurried over to her mother and Lord Zeus. Poseidon stood close to the others. Getting the point, Nico, Andra, Conner, Travis and Thalia rose and walked away, with excuses such as: "I think Clarisse wants to talk to me."

The God of the seas sat down beside his son. Percy glanced at his shoes. "Hey," he said.

Poseidon chuckled. "Percy, is something bothering you?"

Percy glanced up. Most of the time, it was difficult to get a 'hello' out of your Godly parents. A personal question such as the one Poseidon asked was a rarity most demi-gods wished for most of their lives. But this was a question Percy often tried to avoid. "I'm fine, Dad."

The God raised his eyebrows, and hand in fingers through his thick black hair, something both the God and his son did when they were nervous. "You don't seem it."

Percy shrugged his shoulders. Having only spoke with his father on a handful of occasions, answering questions were difficult. "It's nothing, really."

"Is is Cassandra?" inquired the God.

After a moment, Percy nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, it is."

"It is nothing you've done, Percy, I want to remind you of that. What Apollo's daughter did was brave, and from what I've heard, she looked up to you a lot. Her admiration for you is why you are still here, Percy, and I want you to remember that. Apollo doesn't blame you either."

"Yes, Dad, but he blames himself. It's not his fault."

"So you blame yourself?" asked the God. "I hardly think that's fair."

Percy was about to speak, but Poseidon cut him off. "Think about this, son. Cass is inside you because she admired you. I could hear it when she spoke of you. Just know that whatever you do you do in her honor and in her memory. And know that no one blames you." The God rose and he walked a few feet. "Remember that, Percy." And then he went back over to Zeus.

Percy watched his father leave and as he did he whispered to himself: "Cass, if you can hear me, I'm sorry. I'll do whatever I can to honor you."

At that time, Cass couldn't hear him. She was sitting with her brother Carl, who was teaching her how to play piano. Her brothers strong hands guided hers to the right keys, and pressing them firmly to make the right noise.

Cass tried it herself, and the music came out beautifully. It was a simple tune, the only one she knew how to play, but it was captivating and breathtaking. "This is fun," she said, turning around to face Carl. He smiled at her.

"I knew you would like it. It's often played at weddings. Selina and Becendorf had me play it when they got married down here a few weeks ago."

Cass placed her hands over her mouth excitedly. "They got married?" Then her olive eyes widened. "Oh! I forgot. When the war's over, Brian proposing to Sara!"

Carl smiled. "He is? That's amazing."

"I know! They're so perfect together."

"Spoken like a true daughter of Aphrodite," said a voice from the door. Cass turned. It was Selina. Her long black hair flowed down her back, and her piercing blue eyes sparkled with a smile. The long black robe that all souls wore when first entering the Underworld disappeared in Elysium, and she wore skinny jeans and a pretty white top. A small diamond shone on her left hand.

Cass jumped up. "Selina!" She rushed to her older friend and embraced her. "I've missed you!"

"And me you. Carl told me what happened to you. I'm really sorry." The daughter of Aphrodite pouted prettily. "But, now you get to hang with us."

Cass beamed. "That would be great." She checked her watch. "Oh! I have to go, or I'll be late. I'm meeting someone in a few minutes. I'll catch up with you later," shouted the dead, young daughter of Apollo.


End file.
